Actress Zhang Ziyi loses appeal against Next Magazine

2017/02/07 19:54:32

(CNA file photo)

Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) The Taiwan High Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal filed by Chinese movie star Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) in a defamation case against a Taiwanese tabloid, saying that the magazine had cited another publication in its story.

It was the second time that the High Court was upholding the ruling of the Shilin District Court on the matter, which arose from a Next Magazine story in 2012 that alleged several Chinese officials had paid to have sex with Zhang.

Later that year, Zhang brought a defamation lawsuit against two reporters and an editor at Next Magazine, seeking NT$1.65 million (US$53,080) in damages and a public apology from the magazine.

However, in April 2015, the Shilin District Court ruled against Zhang, saying that the Next Magazine story had cited a report on Boxun News, an overseas Chinese community website.

The district court also said Next Magazine reporters had tried unsuccessfully to contact Zhang before publishing the story and that the tabloid had since issued an apology to her.

In December 2015, Zhang filed an appeal with the High Court, which upheld the lower court's ruling.

The High Court's rejection Tuesday of her second appeal is not the final recourse for Zhang as she can still appeal the case in the Supreme Court.

The actress, who is best known for her lead role in the megahit film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," in December 2013 reached a confidential settlement in a defamation suit against Boxun News after the website alleged that she had received NT$3.2 billion in payments over a 10-year period to have sex with Chin's former Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai and several other Chinese officials.

The website also retracted the story, saying the "false reports about Zhang Ziyi should never have been published.".